In 2025, Avery traveled down to Canyon, Texas to attend the UGC Field Certification. Now, as a certified field technician, she is bringing carcass ultrasound to south-central Montana.

As a UGC Certified Field Technician, she will be providing seedstock producers in Montana and surrounding states with a reliable source of carcass ultrasound data collection. With this data, producers can not only improve the accuracy of their own herd's EPDs but also help to increase the accuracy of carcass trait EPDs throughout their entire breed.

With genomics becoming a commonly used tool in the industry, many producers are starting to wonder if the collection of phenotypical traits (such as carcass ultrasound data) is still relevant. The short answer is YES. Many industry-leading scientists and breed associations have spoken about the importance of collecting phenotypes, even in the age of genomics that we live in today.

"Even in the era of genomic selection, phenotypes (observed performance records) are still king, and producers must not stop or limit phenotypic data collection."

- Dr. Matt Spangler, University of Nebraska

"When considering if genomics should replace ultrasound, let’s first consider how genomic predictions obtain their accuracy. Genomic predictions for traits are based entirely on the performance data in the genetic evaluation, along with genotypes. If a breed has no ultrasound or carcass data, they will not be able to generate genomically enhanced carcass EPDs (GEPDs), no matter how many animals they genotype. Simply put, the phenotypes are the "fuel" that make the genomic engine run.

"If data collection were to cease in the cattle evaluation, the predictability of the genomic information would suffer from decay. As generations progress, the genome evolves: and predictions based on more distant generations no longer reflect the current animals. For this reason, the industry needs to maintain phenotyping to keep this evaluation "fresh" and current. The more data in your immediate pedigree, combined with genotypes, the more accurate genomic predictions will be for your cattle in the long run.

"It would be a perilous decision for a breeder to turn away from ultrasound scanning when it has been the technology that has carried them thus far. Genomics will carry the breed further still, but this technology needs data to be accurate. Often “hard roads” ahead are described as being full of blood and toil. For carcass genetic improvement in cattle, this road into the future will be about “blood (DNA and carcass) and oil (ultrasound)” for some time to come."

- Stephen Miller, Angus Genetics Inc.

"By The Numbers - Can We Stop Collecting Data?"

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